The federal government has said it has concluded plans to disinfect and decontaminate airports and aircraft ahead of the planned flight resumption in some airports.
The Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Abubakar, who made this known while addressing journalists on Thursday ahead of the World Environment Day said the aviation stakeholders had met with the ministry officials and agreed on suitable chemicals to use for the disinfection that won’t affect the aircraft.
He said plans for the disinfection of government schools, motor parks, train stations and places with a high prevalence of people are ongoing in the geopolitical zones.
He however noted that the disinfection and decontamination of the airports, aircraft, motor parks and others is capital intensive as such the ministry will be relying on the involvement of the support groups, helping the government in the fight against COVID-19.
Abubakar said coronavirus has made nations of the world to have a rethink about their greatest enemy, adding that it has however helped the fight against climate change with the reduced emission of Green House Gases.
He said this year’s World Environment Day would be focused on advocacy and communication due to the ravaging effects of the novel COVID-19 pandemic.
“While we continue to battle with the crisis, as environmentalists, we must continue to contribute our quota in the collective efforts being made to contain the spread of the pandemic.
“It is for this reason that the United Nations deem it fit to address biodiversity with the theme ‘Time for Nature’, with a focus on its role in providing the essential infrastructure that supports life on earth and human development,” he said.
He said researchers and scientists have established COVID-19 to be zoonotic, adding that to fully address and prevent future pandemics, “we must restore, conserve and protect biodiversity as key antidotes to COVID-19 recovery.”
The minister said Post COVID recovery should be tied with climate actions and Sustainable Development Goals.
